


Choice and Consequence

by chestry007



Category: The Big Valley
Genre: Family, Gen, Young Marauders
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-23
Updated: 2013-05-23
Packaged: 2017-12-12 19:09:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 330
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/815001
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chestry007/pseuds/chestry007
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Short scene from the episode, "Young Marauders." Audra's point of view immediately after the shootout between her brothers and the outlaws.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Choice and Consequence

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first Big Valley fanfic. And the first fanfic that I've had the nerve to publish. Originally published a couple of years ago over on ff.net on my account, AudraB. Not posted on my chestry007 ff.net account because I somehow locked myself out of it at the time. Sorry for any confusion.

It was over.

I gazed out across the stream at my brothers. Jarrod was kneeling over Lloyd's body, and Nick was standing next to him. By their posture I could tell that Lloyd was dead.

I closed my eyes and tried to breathe deeply, willing away the dizziness that threatened to overwhelm me and when I opened them again to the scene in front of me, I could see my brothers standing quietly, just watching me, with regret on their faces. Nick's body was tense and he started to take a step in my direction, but Jarrod spoke a word and laid a restraining hand on his arm; Nick's shoulders slumped slightly, but he remained in place.

Tears filled my eyes. What had I done? My brothers hadn't wanted to hurt me, and I had ended up hurting them. They had wanted to protect me, and I wouldn't let them. I foolishly and recklessly had tried to do things my own way, and had put their lives in danger. In my mind I could hear the gunfire from earlier. What if one of my brothers had been hurt, or worse? I drew in a shuddering breath. I had hurt the very people who loved me the most, the most important people in the world to me, my family.

I wish I could just run away. But the tug of home, of family and of love is so strong; I can almost physically feel it.

Everyone makes mistakes, but it is what you do about them afterwards that matters. My Mother's words, spoken from early in my childhood flashed through my mind.

My brothers still stood there, hope flickering across their faces. Even after all I had put them through, they were still willing to forgive me and wanted me back.

I reined my horse around and gave him his head.

Wearing expressions of intense relief and joy, and heedless of the water soaking their boots, my brothers met me halfway.


End file.
